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thedrifter
01-30-06, 07:14 AM
Few soldiers seek repayment for cost of combat gear they bought themselves
By John Files
The New York Times
Posted January 30 2006

WASHINGTON · Fewer than 70 service members have sought reimbursement for the cost of combat equipment they bought for use in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a program that the Pentagon originally opposed.

Pentagon officials had said the reimbursement program would be a strain on its budget and could undermine the accountability and effectiveness of equipment.

So far, however, the official who oversees the processing of such claims for the Army said only 30 soldiers have requested reimbursement for equipment, primarily for tactical body armor, at a cost of about $22,000.

"We were gamed for a high volume of claims," said the Army claims official, Maj. Paul J. Cucuzzella. "And to date, it has not been what we planned for."

A Navy spokesman said that 34 service members had asked to be paid for gear, mostly protective eyewear, hydration products and other equipment. The Navy has paid claims of about $5,000.

The Marines have received four reimbursement requests, and the Air Force has not received any, officials said.

In October, more than seven months after Congress required finalization of a program, the Pentagon issued regulations for providing reimbursement for some combat equipment bought privately for use in combat.

The rules allow military personnel deployed in combat zones to make claims of up to $1,100 for health, safety and protective gear bought from September 2001 to April 2006. Eligible items include global positioning devices, advanced combat helmets and body armor, and other accessories.

Retired Brig. Gen. Stephen M. Koper, president of the National Guard Association, said the program had been managed by the Pentagon like "a low-profile thing."

"It seems that the program has not been as properly marketed as it could have been," Koper said.

Publicity for the program has been coordinated by military public affairs officials and has included postings at military bases and installations [and in the newspapers in those places] and to the various commands around the world.

Army surveys have shown that infantry members spend hundreds of dollars of their own money each year on gloves, boots, flashlights and other gear.

Ellie